


Adventures in Babysitting

by Nicknack2814



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Gen, References to Attempted Rape, Some angst, Swearing, enemies turn lovers, mainly fluff, past trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-24 14:40:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7512134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicknack2814/pseuds/Nicknack2814
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose Weasley has been left to babysit her cousins' children, along with Albus, Roxanne and Lily. When the other three bail and leave her alone with nine screaming children she's about ready to give up and call it quits, until the most unlikely of people steps out of the fireplace and saves the day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set two weeks after Rose, Scorpius and Albus graduate. For the purpose of this fic James Potter II is twenty and has a one year old boy called Samuel with his girlfriend of three years, Fred Weasely II is twenty four, has been married three years and has two sets of twins, four year old Max and Mickey and two year old Charlotte and Chloe, Teddy (26) and Victoire (24) have been married six years (almost straight after Vic's graduation) and have five year old Francois and nine month old Juliette, Dominique Weasley (23) has a four week old baby girl called Gracie with her fiancé and Molly Weasley II (24) has been married for four years and has a two year old boy called Artie. All of them, plus Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, George, Percy etc are out at a charity ball.

"Albus Severus Potter get your backside back here this instant!" Rose Weasley shrieked at him above the din of screaming, crying, shouting children and trying her best to sound like her Nana Molly. Either Al didn't hear her, she didn't get the tone right, or more likely he completely ignored her because a few seconds later all she saw was brilliant green lights in the fireplace and he was gone. Rose groaned in exasperation and wanted the ground to swallow her up, she felt the walls closing in on her as the noise levels seemed to rise exponentially. Her older cousins had all roped her and a few of their other childless cousins into babysitting for them while they went out for the night. There were currently nine children to the one lonely adult who'd been deserted by her good for nothing co-sitters. She breathed in deeply, she could do this, she could! 

..........................................................

Forty five minutes later...

She couldn't do this, she couldn't! This was abso- _fucking_ -lutely ridiculous and she was going to _avada_ her cousins the moment she laid eyes on them! Al would get the worst punishment, she might _crucio_ him for a bit first. Gracie, Dominique's four week old, was screaming loudly in her ear while Rose danced around the kitchen making her bottle, something she couldn't do by magic because she didn't know the spells well enough and she couldn't concentrate with all the noise. Fred's four year old twins Max and Mickey were currently running up and down the stairs and around the living room doing Merlin knows what alongside their two year old twin sisters Charlotte and Chloe (boy did Fred end up shouldering his dad's karma and it was hilarious to watch when they weren't her responsibility). Teddy and Victoire's five year old Francois didn't take much encouragement from the two sets of twins, having inherited his grandfather's penchant for mischief despite never having known him. James' son Samuel fell straight into that category too, although Rose was sure her Uncle Harry had taken every opportunity to instil it into him and given the fact he was only one, he'd done it very well. Molly's two year old Artie was sat in the middle of the lounge wailing because he had no idea what was going on and he just wanted his mummy back now, which only helped the situation by encouraging Juliette (Teddy and Victoire's nine month old) to burst into tears every five minutes for exactly the same reason. It was an emotion Rose felt she was very close to, she could already feel the tears in her eyes.

"What the hell is going on in here?"  
Rose whipped round at the sound of that all too familiar drawl and grit her teeth.  
"Their parents all wanted a free afternoon and a night out so they roped in a bunch of us to take care of the kids..." Rose said, sticking the now ready bottle into Gracie's mouth,  
"Who is us?" Scorpius asked as he caught a four year old and lifted him up, breaking the cycle,  
"Hey, put me down!" Max cried indignantly,  
"I believe you've been taught that running is for outside?" He raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at Max who seemed to deflate and just nodded as Scorpius set him back down on the floor,  
"Us is me plus three other dead relatives," She growled angrily, more at them than anything else,  
"Dead relatives?" Scorpius turned his raised eyebrow to Rose,  
"Roxie, Lily and Albus," Rose said with venom,  
"What happened to them?" He asked,  
"Lily bailed for a boy, something I only got pissed about after everyone else left..." Rose began to explain as Scorpius walked across the room and scooped up a shrieking Artie, he grabbed a musical toy of the floor and pushed it into the two year old's hands before looking back up at a baffled Rose.  
"What?" He frowned,  
"What are you doing?" She asked,  
"Cuddling a crying child...?" He looked at her as though she'd gone mad,  
"Why?"  
"...because he was crying...?"  
"No, I mean, why are you still here? Why didn't you just laugh and leave?" She said,  
"Wow! I didn't realise your opinion of me was so low!" He snickered, "I'm evil but I'm not that evil," he laughed,  
"Al is..." She mumbled, moving over to the couch so she could rest her arm that was holding Gracie on the arm of a chair. She sighed in relief as she sat down and adjusted herself so she was sitting comfortably. She watched as Scorpius kicked off his shoes and sat on the floor with Artie in his lap while he rotated toys as the tot calmed down, he leant across the small space and did the same for Juliette too.  
"So...Lily bailed for a boy..." Scorpius looked back at her and waited,  
"Yes, but to be fair, she did ask us all first which is the only reason she gets a quick and painless death," Rose huffed, "Roxie got a message from some friends twenty minutes later and barely told us she was leaving before apparating out and then Albus..." Her gaze turned from one of neutral explanation to pure and utter fury, "Albus bailed to go and play quidditch half an hour later, while they were all screaming!"  
"Definitely a Slytherin," Scorpius chuckled,  
"It's not bloody funny!" Rose barked,  
"Why didn't they leave them all with grandparents?" Scorpius asked,  
"Because they're all out with them, it's a whole family affair...me and the others weren't too interested in _another_ charity ball..." Rose added quietly,  
"Really? Roxanne not interested in dressing up for attention?" Scorpius scoffed,  
"Yeah, that one is weird," Rose nodded, "Lily and Al make sense..."  
"She knew she was bailing before tonight, I'd bet good money on it," he said,  
"I wouldn't bet against you," Rose sighed, moving to sit Gracie up and patting her gently on the back to wind her. She fidgeted a little and let out a small reluctant cry before Rose cooed at her softly to comfort her. She looked over at Scorpius who was back to rotating toys and had just about managed to ease Artie off his lap without any protest. It had been two weeks since graduation, two weeks since Rose had delighted in the knowledge that she wouldn't have to talk to the platinum playboy outside of large family gatherings whereby she could ignore him completely if she chose to, which she obviously would. She hadn't been dumb enough to dream she'd never see him again, but she'd at least hoped it wouldn't be any sort of circumstance beyond a public one, he was after all Albus' best friend. 

"Why are you here, then?" Rose asked, having finally been able to collect her thoughts she realised he must have had a reason for stopping by.  
"Albus and the quidditch he ditched you for," Scorpius answered, "I didn't know he'd already got the message,"  
"He jumped at the message," Rose grumbled, "it was a miracle I knew he'd even got the message he moved so bloody fast!"  
"I can't believe he was heartless enough to leave you here alone with nine screaming children," Scorpius shook his head in something Rose was sure resembled disappointment, something that confused her because Scorpius hated her as much as she hated him so he would never be disappointed that Albus left her hanging. Amused, yes, disappointed, no.  
"Did you wanna get going now? It's quiet again and they're probably waiting for you...?" Rose couldn't believe there was actually a part of her that wanted him to stay, and she reluctantly had to admit to herself that Scorpius Malfoy had actually saved her. She'd been saved by Malfoy...ugh!  
"No, I'm not in the mood for quidditch much now anyway," Scorpius shrugged and Rose tried, and failed, to stop her sigh of relief from escaping. Scorpius looked at her and smirked, his trade mark expression she'd come to loathe. Pretty much every girl at school would fall at his feet at that smirk, she'd even felt herself swoon once or twice in the beginning but the man only had to open his mouth and all her senses came rushing back.  
"I heard that sigh," he grinned, "you don't want me to leave,"  
Rose huffed in defeat, he always could read her better than anyone else outside of her family.  
"It's not you, it's more the effect you have on the adult to child ratio in the house," Rose said,  
"I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, which just so happens to be you..." He sniggered, "what time are all the grown-ups getting back?"  
"Tomorrow," Rose grimaced,  
"Tomorrow?!" Scorpius repeated with wide eyed and Rose couldn't help the small giggle that burst through her lips at his panic. It was rare for Malfoy not to filter his immediate reactions.  
"Yes, tomorrow, that's why we're at the Burrow...there's enough room for all the kids, it's safe and all their parents get some alone time," Rose said,  
"Well, what time are your other cousins coming back? The ones who are supposed to be helping you?" He asked,  
"Lily won't even think she needs to because she thinks Roxie and Al are here," Rose sighed,  
"Roxie won't because she's obviously already planned a night out with friends..." Scorpius said, "I can't believe she's supposed to be the older and more mature one out of all of you,"  
"Please! We all knew I was in charge the moment they all left!" Rose snorted,  
"And yet it still managed to descend into chaos?" Scorpius lifted an amused eyebrow at her,  
"Nine children...nine Weasley-Potter children to one frazzled adult...are you telling me you'd be fine alone?" Rose snapped,  
"Yes...well, until tomorrow when your dad got home and murdered me for being within an inch of his nieces and nephews, let alone taking care of them," Scorpius laughed,  
"Are you seriously that confident? Because I can leave now too...?" Rose challenged him,  
"I am actually seriously that confident...kids aren't that hard, you just have to know how to read them," Scorpius offered, "for someone with such a massive family I'm surprised you didn't have all that much control, especially considering you're obviously a natural with kids..." He gestured to how she was now holding Gracie on her shoulder and absently rubbing soothing circles on her back. Rose blushed a little, not used to people being observant about anything other than her bookishness and certainly not used to Malfoy's observations being anything but snarky and teasing.  
"I'm surprised you're so good at it considering you come from such a small family..." She retaliated, although not with as much feeling as she'd wanted,  
"Me too," he smiled. An actual genuine smile and Rose couldn't help the breath that got caught in her throat. Scorpius Malfoy was, without a doubt, absolutely _fucking_ gorgeous, and he knew it. Rose had never found herself particularly attracted to him, appreciative of his beauty but never wanting to indulge in it herself. Until that smile. The first genuine smile she'd seen on his face directed at her, and suddenly she was reduced to the mental state of some stupid teenage girl combined with an intensity of feelings akin to what she'd only read in erotic romance novels. Rose was in trouble, a lot of it. Because if there was one thing that was going to make a man even more attractive, it was watching him with children, and there were a lot of children here. _Fuck!_ Rose mentally cursed herself as she gave Malfoy a weak smile back and tried to concentrate on something, _anything_ , else. 

Scorpius focused his attention back on the two year old at his side. He silently berated himself for letting that smile slip through, not that he hadn't meant it. He'd spent his entire school career masking any real feelings he had for anyone other than his closest friends, which included Albus, Felicity Nott and Gabriel Zabini. He knew the Weasley/Potter lot fairly well and was immensely surprised that there was no hereditary animosity when he'd started Hogwarts. He figured if anyone was going to hate him it was them, but they'd seemed indifferent to him and willing to make up their own minds unlike some of the other kids in school. In hindsight, Scorpius had come to realise that if anyone knew how it felt to be judged based on your last name it was them. It was one of the reasons him and Albus had become such good friends; they were both fed up of the expectations that were laid upon them, one of which was the continuation of the Potter-Malfoy feud. They'd both decided, at eleven years old, that the best way to piss off the press was to pretend like they were the best of friends, something that became increasingly easier as they did in fact become the best of friends. The only spoke in the proverbial wheel was Rose. She was just as close to Albus, growing up they might as well have been twins. Needless to say it hadn't gone down well when he'd been sorted into Slytherin, with him. And it also hadn't helped that she was incredibly smart and immune to any attempt to charm her. Scorpius had never really been interested in her, sure she was pretty but the minute she opened her mouth he couldn't help but want to rile her up, and it was so easy to do. Plus, no one could debate with him like Rose Weasley. It was actually a lot of fun, not that he'd ever admit to her that he enjoyed it in a less than hateful way. He chanced a glance at her and wished he hadn't. He had no idea what two weeks away from school had done to him, but the way she so naturally lay the sleeping baby in the Moses basket and tucked her in made something in his stomach twist. Her bushy red her was definitely frazzled but for some reason he found it more endearing than he ever had at school and her bright blue eyes locking on to his sent his heart into overdrive. _Shit!_ It was a glance that lasted a little too long and now he couldn't look away, and oh _merlin_! This was so embarrassing and he couldn't help but notice how bloody gorgeous she looked as her trade mark bright red blush crawled it's way across her skin...and why the hell was this girl rendering him _speechless_? And why did it feel as though he'd lost all rational train of thought? What the hell was that?! With a mixture of relief and concern there was a loud crashing noise from upstairs that stopped his eye contact with Rose going from brief and accidental to awkward and uncomfortable.  
"What the...?" Rose mumbled as she flew up the stairs behind Scorpius, Juliette in her arms and Artie in his.


	2. Chapter 2

Scorpius flung the door open to find a large chest of drawers on its side and a Weasley twin hanging from the light shade. The other five children were laughing uproariously, three of which were bouncing on the bed.  
"Okay!" Scorpius said loudly, trying to hide his own amusement, "I think we might be having a little too much fun up here,"  
"Grandpa George says there's no such thing as too much fun!" Max shrieked in delight as he watched his brother swinging from the ceiling,  
"Yes, well, Grandpa George would know all about that..." Scorpius muttered as he put Artie down to disentangle Mickey from the light,  
"Who are you?" Francois asked, "and where's Uncle Albus? And Aunt Roxie? And Aunt Lily?"  
"You drove them all away," Scorpius said,  
"Malfoy!" Rose smacked his arm lightly before turning to the children, "they all had to leave, some things came up,"  
"So you're a Malfoy?" Mickey asked as Scorpius set him back down on the ground,  
"Yes...?" He said dubiously,  
"And you think you can handle us?" Max smirked, "after we made Uncle Albus run away..."  
"Maximilian Arthur Weasley! Did you do that on purpose?!" Rose shrieked,  
"Yes," Max said, "we broke Uncle Al! _We broke Uncle Al! We broke Uncle Al!_ "  
The whole room started up then and Scorpius couldn't help but snigger while Rose glared at him before looking back at the children in despair.  
"Who wants to go outside?!" Scorpius called above the noise,  
" _Me!_ " Came the unanimous answer,  
"Let's go!" Scorpius picked up Samuel and sat him on his shoulders, holding on to Artie's hand as the other five children bounced down the stairs. Rose leaped a head of them and cast a quick charm around Gracie so the herd of elephants running down the stairs wouldn't wake her. After shoes had been put on feet, the elephants broke the confines of the house and went rampaging around the garden. 

Scorpius found a ball and began a small game of passing it between them while Rose sat by the house with Juliette and a few toys.  
"So, are you Aunt Rose's boyfriend?" Francois asked,  
"No," Scorpius replied quickly, "I'm Uncle Albus' best friend,"  
"Do you want to be Aunt Rose's boyfriend?" Mickey asked innocently,  
"No," Scorpius replied calmly,  
"Does Aunt Rose want you to be her boyfriend?" Max asked,  
"No," Scorpius said,  
"How d'you know? Have you asked her?" Francois said,  
"No, I don't need to," Scorpius was beginning to feel awkward at being questioned so ruthlessly by a couple of four year olds and a five year old,  
"Why?" Chloe asked, picking up on the tension and deciding to roll with it despite not knowing the context,  
"Because we don't get on," he answered as he kicked the ball to Mickey,  
"Then why are you helping her with us?" Mickey asked,  
"Because it wasn't fair to leave her all alone,"  
"But Uncle Albus did,"  
"That's because Uncle Al is a d...he wasn't being very nice when he did that," Scorpius just managed to save himself,  
"We need a new challenge," Frankie declared,  
"What kind of challenge?" Scorpius asked,  
"Well, breaking Uncle Al took less time than we planned," Francois said, passing the ball gently to Charlotte,  
"Francois..."  
"Frankie, I hate when people call me Francois," the five year old huffed,  
"Frankie, why did breaking Uncle Al seem like a good idea?" Scorpius smirked,  
"Because he thinks he was worst trouble maker," Frankie grinned, "we were only showing him that we could do better,"  
"That's..." Scorpius sighed in defeat, he couldn't rebuke them for that, "that's ridiculous, we all know that as far as trouble making goes the top spot would be tied between Grandpa George and Uncle James,"  
"That's exactly what we said," Max looked smug, "so we had a good idea and we wanted to be the champions!"  
"I think you will be, especially if you can team up with your sisters," Scorpius laughed as the boys grimaced, "seriously, girls can be really sneaky in a way boys can't...you'd be reigning Weasley champions for all time if the four of you combined forces," he looked at their wide and eager eyes before realising he was going to be in serious trouble with Fred and his wife. Oh well, it wasn't like he was planning on becoming a part of the family...although he found himself kind of wanting to hang around them a lot more. His eyes shifted to Rose at that last thought and he shook it from his head as quickly as he could.

Rose was leaning back on her elbows watching Juliette slowly explore the grass and the toys as she shuffled around the immediate area. He caught the way her eyes sparkled happily watching the little girl squeal in delight at finding a flower and felt another genuine smile working its way towards his face.  
"Are you sure you don't want to be Aunt Rose's boyfriend?" Frankie smirked, "'cause you keep looking at her a lot for someone who says you don't want to be,"  
"I do not," was Scorpius' less than mature response,  
"Do to," Max laughed,  
"Do to," his sister Charlotte copied,  
"Do not!" Scorpius cried, cursing himself for falling into the trap as the children started running around screaming "do to!" at him and giggling.  
"Why not?" Frankie finally broke the pattern,  
"Because we don't really like each other!" He cried exasperatedly,  
"Are you sure? 'Cause you keep looking at her the way my dad looks at my mum..." Frankie was less than convinced,  
"I do not!" Escaped before he could stop it and they began their tirade of "do to,"s again.  
"All we do is argue," he found himself trying to reason with the small chanting children,  
"My mum and dad argue too, it doesn't mean they don't love each other!" Max said,  
"Charlie you should go tell Aunt Rose that Malfoy loves her!" Mickey grinned mischievously,  
"Charlie don't you dare!" Scorpius leaped towards the two year old as she took off towards Rose. This was fucking ridiculous! He couldn't work out why he was panicking about a two year saying something that wasn't even true! All he knew was he had to stop her. He picked her up and swung her around making her squeal in delight as her sister Chloe leapt at his leg in an attempt at defending her sister. Scorpius gracefully fell to the floor, hoping a good old rough and tumble would make them forget about the mission Mickey had given them.  
"For someone who doesn't like her, you really don't want us to tell her, do you?" Frankie stated, folding his arms and giving Scorpius a pointed look from above, "if you really didn't like her it wouldn't matter, we're a bunch of kids, you could laugh it off...unless it's actually the truth?" He grinned and Scorpius did his best to smooth over his features and hide his inner turmoil...Frankie was definitely going to be in Ravenclaw for sure.  
The truth was, Scorpius didn't even know how he felt. Not even two hours ago she was the girl he used to loathe more than anyone and now...something seemed to have screwed with his head. He was left wondering if maybe being at school had influenced their inability to be friends more than they'd realised, but for now he just didn't want anymore confusing and awkward moments with Rose. He liked knowing where he stood in his relationships with people, he wasn't keen on them changing all of a sudden.  
"It's not the truth, I just don't want to hurt Rose's feelings by having to say it wasn't the truth," Scorpius thought quickly,  
"So you _don't_ know if she likes you," Frankie said, still adamant on having a conversation, this conversation, with Scorpius whilst he was rolling around in the grass with Max, Mickey, Charlie, Chloe, Sam and an apprehensive but still enthusiastic Artie.  
"No, I know she doesn't like me,"  
"Then why would it matter if we told her you loved her when you didn't?"  
"Because it's not nice to here that someone doesn't love you no matter what the reasons are or why..."  
Scorpius continued to roll around on the ground, laughing and taking great delight at the squeals he could elicit with a few well placed jabs of his fingers. Frankie just looked down from above in contemplation. After a few minutes and a lot of thought he finally decided that Scorpius' answer was justifiable. He began to ponder what their new objective for the weekend could be, considering that Uncle Albus was so much easier to break than they even thought. And the man calls himself a Slyrherin!

"I've thought of our next challenge!" Frankie's eyes lit up a few minutes later and Scorpius felt a deep sense of impending doom.  
"We're going to break you and Rose!" Frankie grinned,  
"Break them both?" Max stopped fighting and sat up to attention,  
"Yes! It's a competition!" Frankie cried, "which one will break first?!"  
"Frankie..." Scorpius sat up and glared at him as menacingly as he could muster,  
"You don't scare me Malfoy!" Frankie laughed,  
"Scorpius, if you're getting personal, my name is Scorpius," he groaned,  
"And I know just how to break you too," Frankie's eyes glinted and Scorpius realised he'd been very very wrong. This boy was a Slytherin all over.  
Rose looked across at the group and grinned to herself. Watching Malfoy wrestle a small group of children was something Rose thought she'd never see, it was something she'd thought she'd never see him do so well and also something she'd thought would never make that little knot below her naval start to pull. No, no this wasn't happening! She couldn't be starting to _like_ Malfoy, not _like_ like him! As in, like him as an actual person and want to be around him for more than just a gander at his gorgeousness! Dammit! She was going to do more than murder Albus, she was going to chop him up into teeny tiny pieces and hide him in the walls!  
"We're going to break you!" Frankie ran at her and Scorpius wasn't far behind him, looking a little defeated.  
"What?" Rose frowned,  
"You and Scorp, we're going to break you, like we did Uncle Al, that's our new challenge," Frankie announced,  
"What did you do?!" Rose jumped to her feet and rounded on Scorpius,  
"I didn't do anything!" He cried,  
"Then why after ten minutes of playing with you do they think this is a good idea?!" Rose bellowed,  
"Because they're all Weasley-Potter children and everything you say to them they use against you!" Scorpius cried in exasperation walking backwards as she walked towards him,  
"It's a competition," Frankie said, "first one of you to break loses,"  
"Ha! You're going down Malfoy!" Rose smirked,  
"Hey, you can't team up with them!" Scorpius huffed,  
"Sure I can, there's no rules," Rose shrugged,  
"Well, there is some...Scorp loses if he goes home and you lose if you ask him to, and if he's still here by bedtime it carries on till our parents come back tomorrow," Frankie nodded as if that was that and Scorpius narrowed his eyes at the boy.  
"Are you sure you're only five?" He growled,  
"Are you sure your the same age as Aunt Rose?" Frankie snorted, "'cause you seem to be about to get into a serious competition with a five year old? If anyone should be questioning maturity around here it's me!"  
"He's really five?!" Scorpius turned to Rose who laughed sweetly and nodded,  
"He's really five," she giggled and Scorpius wanted to groan at how good it sounded,  
"Well, at least I'm not going out before you," he shrugged,  
"Wanna bet?" Rose said,  
"Sure, how much?" Scorpius grinned.

"Oh, I'm not betting money with you, you have too much for it to be a real bet," she said, "if I win..." She tapped her foot in thought, trying to think of the perfect thing that would be both a reward for her and an absolutely awful thing for him. Suddenly her eyes met his and he shuddered at how deviously they twinkled, "I want unfettered access to the library at Malfoy Manor for six months, I can come and go as I please whenever I want,"  
"Seriously? You just want to come to my house whenever you like? If you wanted me to extend that sort of invitation you should have just asked..." He smirked out of habit and sent her a wink for good measure, loving the way her face flushed when he did. That was not the reaction she was expecting, she was going for a more irate one at having to put up with her in his house.  
"No! The library and only the library!" She huffed, "and I'm allowed to touch everything in it!" She added in an attempt to make it worse,  
"Fine, then I'll make sure to be in it when you are..." He winked again and Rose groaned in frustration and rolled her eyes as her blush just went deeper. Again, not the response she was looking for, but a very Malfoy one all the same.  
"Malfoy, remember the children..." She growled. He laughed and couldn't work out if she was actually frustrated with him or if she was a little bit sexually frustrated because of what she imagined he could do to her...not that it mattered. Why did it matter?  
"And you? What if you win?" Rose asked, ushering along the conversation,  
"I want..." Scorpius thought for a moment and then beamed at her, "I want you to accompany me to every public event I'm invited to with a plus one for the next six months,"  
"What?!" Rose blanched, "why'd you wanna make me go with you?"  
"Because...think about it, I wouldn't have to look for a date, I wouldn't have to put up with some airhead or gold digger out for the Malfoy fortune every time there's a party, or girls who just want to get in my pants for the scandal, I know you, I don't have to like you to have a good time, I just have to get drunk..." Scorpius trailed off as Rose gestured with furious eyes to the little people stood around them, hanging off every word he said just waiting for the go ahead on their ridiculous little challenge,  
"Fine," Rose nodded, "it's a deal!"  
"Yey!" Frankie screamed and the other kids all jumped up and down in joy. Scorpius met Rose's eyes and they gave each other a look that conveyed how stupid they realised they'd been.  
"Guys, this is only happening if the lot of you still follow Nana Molly's rules," Rose warned, looking specifically at Max and Mickey, "that's your side of deal, you have to eat dinner when it's ready, bath time without fuss and bedtimes when I say so...and nothing gets broken!"  
"Okay Aunt Rose, it's a deal," They nodded and the rest of the group did too.

"Hey, do I win if Scorpius runs away when Uncle Ron turns up tomorrow?" Rose smirked,  
"Yes," Frankie said,  
"But what if Uncle Ron tells me to leave or he'll kill me?" Scorpius asked, a hint of fear in his voice,  
"Aunt Rose still wins 'cause she never asked you to leave," Frankie shrugs,  
"What constitutes a draw?" Rose asked,  
"When we've all gone home with our parents and you're both still here," Frankie said,  
"He's five," Scorpius pointed in bewilderment, "five,"  
"I know, and we're both eighteen and just got played by him...welcome to the real world of the Weasley-Potters," Rose sighed, "well played Frankie, well played..."  
"So who's gonna break first?" Frankie laughed,  
"Scorpius,"  
"Rose,"  
"I'm not losing against you, no matter how petty this little challenge is!" Rose said,  
"Even though we've basically been connived into it by children?" Scorpius smirked,  
"If it's that silly then why don't you forfeit?" Rose said,  
"To you? Never!" Scorpius laughed,  
"My sentiments exactly," she nodded,  
"You're entire family are going to sanction us when they get home, you know that right?" Scorpius grinned,  
"That's if you make that far," Rose teased,  
"I will make it that far,"  
"And you'll only need sanctioning if my dad doesn't kill you first," she laughed out loud as Scorpius' face went a little paler,  
"All the more reason to try and break you before we get that far," he winked, sending another delightful shiver up Rose's back and around her body.  
"You haven't broken me yet Malfoy," Rose goaded,  
"I'm not in an environment where I can get expelled Weasley," Scorpius grinned, watching as Rose turned around and headed back towards the house.  
As Rose reached the back door, Scorpius suddenly had the best worst idea ever. With a flick of his hand and a silent charm, a jet of ice cold water shot out of his wand and hit Rose straight in the back. She screamed loudly before turning round to face him again, the children all shrieking in delight. She set a seething glare at him before drying herself off and walking into the house. Scorpius laughed to himself, one up to him. He glanced down at Frankie triumphantly and was met with a condescending look.  
"If you think Aunt Rose is really going to let you have that, you're in for a massive shock and you don't know her very well at all!" He scoffed. Scorpius just laughed until he saw Rose carefully caring out Gracie in the Moses basket, setting her down on the lawn and putting Juliette close by before erecting a small playpen and casting a silencing charm and shield around them. She looked at Scorpius with a fire in her eyes he'd never seen before, a fire he'd realised none too soon had been held back by rules and regulations and the fear of expulsion, something he'd just reminded her was no longer a threat.  
Rose waved her wand and transfigured some garden furniture and tools into a paddling pool and some water guns for the children, their eyes lit up as she began filling it all while rolling up her sleeves and looking threateningly at a very nervous Scorpius.


End file.
